Microscope



H. N, OTT

Oct. 4, 1938.

MICROSCOPE F'iled July 26, 1935 5 SheetS-Sheel'I l H. NQ OTT MIcRoscoPE @ci 4, w38,

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lid Filed July 26, 1955 f, @W W ,N fw MN y,

H. N. OTT

MICROSCOPE Filed July 26, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES MICROSCOPE Harvey N. Ott, Buffalo, N. Y., assigner to Spencer Lens Company, Buialo, N. f

Application July 26, 1935, Serial No. 33,221

3 Claims.

This invention relates to, improvements in microscopes and refers particularly, to microscopes such as are disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 423 filed Jan. 4, 1935.

My U. S. Patent #1,964,075 of June 26, 1934, as well as my copending application Serial No. 423, above mentioned, both show an instrument provided with an optical system including an objective, and a body tube is mounted in such a manner that the same, together with the ocular system mounted thereon, may be tilted or moved from an upright position to a position at a considerable angle to the vertical, or to the axis of the objective, or to any position between these two positions at the convenience of the user.

Due to this arrangement, the optical system included a reflector which was movably mounted so that upon movement of the body tube or member the reflector moved throughY one-half of the angular displacement of the ocular system relatively to the axis of the objective. In this way, image forming rays received upon and diverted by said reflector continue to be directed along the optical axis of the body tube and ocular system in any angular position of the body tube or member.

Objects of the invention are to provide a microscope of this type in which the movable reflector is mounted and adjusted in an improved and simplied manner in relation to the movement of the body tube or member; also to construct a microscope having an improved pivotal mounting for enabling the body member to be placed in its different angular positions and which is of simple and practical construction, operates in an easy and smooth manner and provides large bearing or contact surfaces for affording long use with the minimum wear.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof and from the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a microscope illustrative of this invention showing the body tube or member tilted to its extreme angular position, the section being taken approximately on the line I I, Fig. 4.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section of a part of the microscope taken on the line 2 2,

A Fig. 1.

microscope taken approximately on the line 4 4,

Fig. 1. A

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of` the instrument similar to a portion of Fig. 1, but with the parts in aV different position.

Fig. 6 is a face view of the supporting member of the instrument together with certain associated parts.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 1 1, Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a similar section, taken on `the line 8 3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section showingv the means for Vrotatably mounting certain parts of the adjusting mechanism of the microscope.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary longitudinal, vertical section, similar to that shown in Fig. 1, of a portion of the optical system of the instrument, but with the parts in a different position.

Fig. 11 is a transverse vertical section, on an enlarged scalataken approximately on the line Il l I, Fig.- 10.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary vertical section of the reflector adjusting mechanism, taken approximately on the line l2 l2, Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a similar section with the parts in a diierent position.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary horizontal section, taken on the line |4 I4 of Fig..11.

The microscope shown in the drawings and illustrative of the invention is of the compound type and comprises in general a stand or base 20 including a conventional horse shoe foot 2l and a pair of spaced upwardly extending posts 22. Journalled upon and between the posts 22 for swinging movement about a transverse horizontal axis ofY an inclination joint 24 is a support or intermediate member 25 on which is mounted a stage 26 rfor supporting the specimen or object X to be examined, and below'which may be arranged a rcondenser 21 movably supported upon the intermediate member 25 for adjustment toward and from the stage.

Slidably connected to the support or intermediate member 25 for movement in an up-anddown direction is an arm 30 at the upper end of which is secured a bracket 3l, which carries the optical system of the microscope. This optical system may be of any suitable or desired kind and in the construction illustrated, the outer end of the bracket 3| has a hollow housing or chamber 32 secured thereto. Abody tube or member 33 carrying an ocular systemr 34 of any suitable or usual construction, is in turn movably mounted at the upper front part of thehousing 32. As

Y between these two extremes.

At the forward end of the bottom wall 35 of the housing, there is mounted an objective 31, the axis of which, when the parts are in thev position shown in Fig. l0, extends vertically and forward-V ly of, or in a different plane to, but parallel with the then vertical axes` of the body tube and eye piece.V It will be seen by reference to Fig. 1, that in the tilting movements of the 'body'memben the axes ofthe body memberV and that o-f the ocular systemV are shiftedfinto `angular relation to the axis of the objective. ings the objective 31 is shown as being supported upona nose piece 38, which also supports other objectives in fa manner to enable Vany one of the objectives'carried by the nose piece to be moved into operative position, a single robjective can be connected directly to the housing, if desired, as is wellY known in the art. 7

, lIn order to provide ,for an accurate, smooth and durable adjustable mounting for the optical systemrelatively to the stage of the microscope,

the"'adjustable arm is provided with a pair of parallel slidable connections in overlapping relatiorrtoeach other, so that elongated bearing surfaces areprovided. In the particular construction shown in'FigsJ'l to 8, I provide on` the forward or front faceof the arm 39 a xed slide orV Vbearing section 40which*V is in the Yform of theY usual v dove-tailed bar having opposite parallel, bevelled side edges 4|, and upon the Yfront face of this bearing member 49 is secured, in turn, a second-bearing memberl or dove-tailed slide bar A. 43 having opposite, parallel bevelled side edges V44. VY'Ihe bar 43 is narrower than the bar 40 so thatY the bevelled edges 44 of the former lie Within the bevelled edges 4l of the bar 49. The parallel bevelled edge portions 4| of the bar 40 are slidably engageable in'bevelled guide grooves 45 formed'in 'and extending lengthwise of the rear upright face of the intermediatev member or support' 25. As shown in'therdrawings, the barsror bearing Amembers 4,0 and 43 are of considerable length andl approximatelyV equalto the length of the guide grooves 45 in' the support 25.

Secured to the front face of the bearing member or bar 43 isa vertical rack bar 48 lwhich forms part of. the'coarse adjusting mechanism o-f the instrument. 'I'he coarse adjusting mechanism further includes a transverse horizontal and rotatable operating shaft 49 whichv is journalled inv a iioating member or block 50, which is arranged in a cavity or recess' 5I inthe support 25 and kwhich is openat the rear face of the latter. The shaft 49 has its opposite ends extended out- Vwardly through the trunnionsl or Vjournals 52 of the inclination joint 24 beforementioned, knobs being secured to the ends of the shaft for Y, turning it. The trunnions 52 are formedwith verticalslots 53, see Fig. 3,- which enable the shaft .49 to have a limited up-and-.doWn movementlwith reference to the inclination joint for thepurpose to be explained. a

Intermediate of. its ends and within a recess in Y the ioating member or block 50, the shaft 49 is While in thedraw- Y aieaia up and down in its guides 45 in the support 25.

The pinion 55 is provided merelyasan idler so, as to obtain an upward movement of the arm 39 by the usual conventional clockwise rotation of the shaft 49, and a downward movement of the arm 30 by a counterclockwse rotation of said shaft 49.

As shown in the drawings, and particularly inV Fig. 6, the floating member or block 59 has,

formed in its rear upright face and for the entire Y length of the block, a pair of opposed bevelled guidegroves 60 an'dthese guide grooves` are formed'to slidably receive the bevelled edges 44 of 'the' bearing-member or bar Y43 bforementioned. The floatingmember Aor block 59, Yas shown, is preferably split in a vertical direction and secured together by screws 6|, Figs. 1 and 2,

ina ymanner to forcethe bevelled guidegrooves Si] into rm gripping engagement with the bevelled edges 44 of the dove-.tailed bar 43. Also by splitting the floating member in the manner described, theV pinions 5l vand 55 can be arranged in their'recess inv this member. The sides'of the recess engage the ends of the pinions so as to in YFig'. 9, the'two shafts 49 and 56 can be removably mounted in the member by means of aV detachable plate or capl 65 secured to the member 50 by'screws r66. The inner face of the cap 65 is formed with half round ,horizontal transverse grooves which are complementary to similar grooves in the adjacent face of the member 50 so as to Vthereby form bearings for the shafts 49 Vand 56; These shafts, however, `could be journalled inthe member 50 in any other suitable manner. j y

In 4the, arrangement as thus far described, actuation of'r the coarse adjusting shaft 49 provides a relative movement of the arm 39 and its bearing members orpbars 40 and 43 relatively to the support 25 and also relativelyl to the iioating member or Yblock 50. 7

To effect a ne adjustment'of the arm 3i) and the optical system carried thereby, I provide means bywhich a limited up-and-down movement is imparted to the floating member or block 59 relatively to the stationary support or intermediate member 25, in which 'case the bearing member`43 is shifted with'the guide grooves 6D ofthe iioating member59, because of. frictional :gripping vby the fioating member of the dovetailed bearing member 43. Y Any suitable adjusting mechanism may be provided for'effecting this'result, thatshown being of lwelrkno'wn Yconventional form, including a transverse horizontal shaft 7G provided with fine threads 1|. "The shaft l0 is mounted in and has threaded engagement with a hollow horizontal bearing sleevefIZ fixed inthe intermediate mem-l ber orsupport 25. The Shaft is further provided at itsV extremities with operating knobs ormembers `'15, vby turning which the shaft is `moved lengthwise in and relatively to the sleeve 12. Intermediate of its ends, the shaft 'l0 is provided with a fixedk disk 'It againstwhich the' lower end Vprevent endwise movement of the pinions and the-shafts to which they are attached. As shown 35 of fa-lever'fll engages. This -lever 1`| is arranged inthe cavity 5| of the support 25, and is mounted upon a stud Aor pivot18. `The'lever'is-'provided laterally of. the stud 'f1-8 with-a roller '|-9'whic`h abutsagainst a bearing face -at the lower end of the floating member 50. Arranged in a vertical bore in the support 25- yand adjacent the upper end of the floating member -50,-thereis -anexpansion'springiZ which yieldingly bears'upon and urges theoating member y5ll in a downwardv direction so as to hold the lower bearing face 80 thereof in rm lengagement, with the roller 19 of the'fine `adjustingmechanism, and through this arrangement, the lower end of the ylever is held in 'engagement with the disk T6 Yon the shaft l0. Preferablya second expansion spring 84 mounted in'a bore in thesupport 25 bears 'upwardly against a face or shoulder of the floating member 450. This spring 84 is slightly weaker than the spring '872, but nevertheless vacts to counterbalance/to 'a'considera'ble extent the weight of the parts so that the member 50 is yieldingly or iloatably 'supported'relatively to 'the member 25. The spring 82,'nevertheless, acts with'sulicient pressure uponthe'member 50 to maintain proper contact'between its lower bearing face 00 and the roller '|9 'at'all times.

YIt will be apparent that appropriate manipulation of the knobs"'|5 lwill rotate and cause endwise movement ofthe shaft 10 'in one direction or another with a 4resultant upward or' downward movement of the floating'member 50. When so actuated the floating member 50 will, through the engagement of its guide grooves 60 with the bevelled edges 44 oi the bearing member 43, effect a direct movement 'in' one 'direction or another, as a unit,.of the floating member 50, the arm 30, and the shafts 5| and 5B of the coarse adjusting mechanism. The pinions 54 and 55 will in such movement rotateY relatively to the rack bar 48. .Bymeans of the construction 'described the movable arm 30'is'provided with unusually long bearing connections, not only with thesupport 25, but also withthefloating member 50, since both of these members have guide grooves extending'throughout approximately their entire length for the/reception'of the long bearing'mem-l bersv 40 and"43.on the'arm 30.Y Obviously, such anadvantagecould not be obtained in instruments provided with only one bearing or dove-tailed member for the 'reasons heretofore explained. The'present construction, however, provides ade# quate firm andv smoothly operating bearing connections'between the arm and the members`25 and 50, so that looseness, wobbling, or binding as a result Aof the vweight, carried` bythe arm 30 is overcome Yor reduced toa minimum. Furtheri more, these 'results are arrived at by the use'of the minimum number of partswhich are of `rel atively simple andv inexpensive construction.

The housing 32 -beforementic'ineol includes in addition'to the bottom wall' 35, a'pair of spaced verticaljand parallelsidewallsf|00. The body tube or'member 33 has ldetaohaloly secured to it a tail' piecev |0| formed with opposite vertical flat faces which engage between the side walls |00 of the'housing32. `'In order to secure the body mem'- ber`l33 in any of the different` positions required, a clamp |03 is provided, which includes-a handle |04,' which when. turned infthe proper direction, tends tofforce the side walls' |00 into firmY grippingcontact with the side faces ofthe tailr piece |0 I '.When itis desired to shift the bodyv member 331into another position, the clamp |03 is released, thebody ymemberfradjusted as required, and the clamp againtightenedito hold the: body: member in the new position. The -foregoing securing means for the body tube 33 V.is wellknown, and further detailed description is unnecessary. The housing 32 -isA completed byra fixed transverse wall |05 and a wall or plate-|06 which,r is secured to and `is movable with' the bodyitube ormember 33 an'dlo'verlaps the wall |05.y Thebody member 33 is movably and rotatably connected to the housing to effect theangular adjustments described byproviding at the lower end of thebody tube 33A a-pair of parallel spaced side pieces or members ||0, which form inV eiect forward extensions of f the tail piece `|.0|. The outer parallel faces of the pieces I0, see Fig. il,r are so spaced as to slidably engage the inner facesfof the side plates |00 of the housing-'32, andpreferably the pieces or extensions ||0`are provided with outwardly extending circular bearing disks or 'portions ||2, offrelatively large diameter, which fit infcomplementary recesses H3 in the side walls |00 so that when the body tube or member is shifted into ldifferent positions, the lateral extensions I2 will turn in the recesses H3. -Inthis way, a Vvery-simple, smoothand steady rotatable mounting for the body-tube 33 is provided. I I Y lExtending inwardly from each of the side pieces H0 of the body tube ormember is a short stud or-pivotv |-5. lThesepvots ||5 are horizontally alined and are disposed upon the axis of `rotation of the bearing extensions ||2.and upon these studsY ||51is supported a suitable reflector |29, preferably of the ilrst surface type, in such a way that its reflecting face is disposed angularly crosswise of and upon the optical axis of the ocular system 34, and through which axis the axis of rotation of the bodytube also passes transversely'. vWithin the housing '32 and upon the optical axis of the objective 3'! is mounted -a fixed reflecting element or prism |2|V having a reflecting facerarranged at 45 degrees to the axis of the'objective-3`| 1and disposed so as tolreceive image forming rays passing upwardly fromthe objective 3l and vvdivert them in a horizontal direction toward the axis of the body tube3`3 and ocular system 34. The reflecting element |20'before mentioned, is disposed so as to intercept the rays're-` ilected from the element |2| ,and divert them along the-axis of the `body tube 33 to the oculars 34 in all angular'positions in which the latter may be adjusted, in use, with respect to the axis of 'theobjective 31. Accordingly the'reecting facelof the element |20 must move withthe move# mentsv of the body tube orV member, but only through half the angular displacement of the latter. In the position shown in `lig.fl0,v it Awill be seen thatv the'axis of the body tube 33 and the ocular 34 is disposed in a vertical direction and the reflecting face of the element y|20 extends at an angle such as to'direct rays from the reflecting element |2|upward1y into the body tube and the ocular system. Referring now to Fig. l, it will be seen thatwhile the body tube 33 and eye piece 34 havevsbeengmoved through a certain angle, the reflecting face of the element |20 hasbeen moved onlythrough half that angle so that the rays diverted thereby still pass lalongr the axis of the bodyv tube 33 and ocular 34. y "Fortpermitting this vrelative movement of the reflecting member.' |.20,'I mount said elementfin va saddle'or supporti'25 which-fis of substantially U- shaped cross'fsectiom: and theside members |25V ofwhich. are disposed Ybetween .and adjacent-.the side pieces. |.t0 Iand. are secured upon thelstuds ||`5 beforementioned. The opposite side members |26 ofthe saddle |25 may,.if desired, be of'circular cross section having undercut'faces orshoulders |21 which engage upon the upper orV reflecting face of theelement |20. This. element'is maintained in engagement with said shoulders |21 by screws extending through the cross piece |28 of the saddle, and which engage'rand force a pad or cushion-|29 against the underface vof the reflecting member |20; Any other means' vf'or mounting the reflecting member in movable relation to the ,objective and kocular may.iof course. be employed. y Y

In order to produce the ldesired relative movement of the reflector to the body tube, I preferably employ a simple' and accurate mechanism, including a cam part and a part cooperating therewith, one of vthese partsbeing moved by the relative movement of the body tube with reference to a iixed support. Any suitable mechanism of thiskind-may be used, and in the construction shown, a lever is provided which is moved by the relative movement of the body tube and a stationary support therefor, and which cooperates with a cam face formed on the support for the reflector,

As shown particularly in Figs. 11 to 14,. I formV on or secure to therouter side of one of the side members |26 of the saddle |25, acam platefor part 30 having on its'bottom'edge a cam orrcurved surface .|3l against which the free end or nose |32 of an actuating lever |33 is yieldinglyengageable. The lever |33 is mounted between its ends upon a horizontal pivot |34, which is Ysecured in and projects from one of the side pieces vor extensions I0 of the body tube yor member 33 as shown in Fig. 14. The opposite endrof the lever |33 is provided with a slot |35 which receives a fixed pin |36 projecting inwardly from the adjacent side wall |00 of the housing 32. A second pin |38 secured in and projecting from the opposite side wall |00 of the housing 32 and in line with the pin |36 receives one end ofY a tension spring. |39. The other end of this spring is secured upon a pin or projection |40 projecting laterally from one of the side members|26 of the saddle |25, thus acting through the saddle' |25 to yieidingly hold the,

cam face |3| ofthe cam plate |30 in contact with the nose or end |32 of the lever. |33.

The position of the parts shown in Fig. 12 Vcorresponds with that shown in Fig. 10, and in the movement of the body tube 33 from the position shown in Fig. 10 to that shown in Fig. 1, the pivot 34 of theilever I 33 is carried about the axis of the studs ||5in the direction .of the arrow shown in Fig. 12 to the position shown in Fig. 13, However, since the slotted end of the lever |33 is restrained by the xed pinl |36, the lever |33 during the aforesaid movement of its pivot 34 about its pivot across or along the cam face 32 and acting against the pull of the spring |39 will cause the reflecting member |20 to Vmove through only half the angle throughwhich the body tube 33 has been-moved.Vv The form and curvature of the cam face I3| is such that during these movements or any intermediate movements, the reflecting face of the element |20-is moved to a uniform extent or in constant ratio with that of the body tube 33 thereof continuing to rays reflected therefrom along the optical axis of the member 33 and ocular 34 at all times. l

As abovedescribed, the desired adjustment of the reflecting element |20 relatively to the body member is effected by mechanism of simplified and practicalcconstruction, the movement of the will swing part with which the oth .eter bearings .|20 on the body'tube whichiintert with parts on the walls of the housing 32 provides large, smoothly operating Y bearings or pivotal connections which can be accurately formed and smoothly machined orV nished, and aiord a steady movement of the body member, and owing to the Vrelatively large area of contact of the beary ings, wearing of the parts is Yreducedto a minimum and a vastly superior rotary connection is provided as compared with constructions in which the parts are pivotally connected merely by shafts or studs of small diameter.

I claim as my invention: f

l. In an optical instrument, the combination of an objective, a body member movable relatively to said objective and carrying an ocular system, a relatively stationaryframe including'a pair of walls having opposed circular'bearing recesses of relatively large diameterformed therein, a pair of spaced circular bearing sections yion said body member iitting in said bearing recesses and forming therewith a pivotal mounting of adequate size for said body member to enable the sameto be turned into different angular relations to said objective, a reiiector disposed between'said. body member bearing sections,"oppositely extending pivots on said reflector which are journalled in said Ybearing sections with their axes coincidentV with the axes of said sections,fand an actuating member movably mounted on said bodyv member and having a part operatively connected to said relatively stationary frame, said member being actuated by pivotal movements of said body member Vto' engageand turn said reiiector upon its pivots through one-halfv the angular displacement of said body member and ocular system relatively to said objective.

2. In an optical instrument, an objective, Va frame, a body member havinga pivot` by which it is mounted on said frame so that saidbody member may swing on saidV frame within a prescribed range intov different operative angular adjustments to saidobjective,r an optical system on said body member,V a movable reector unit having a reflecting face disposed crosswise of and upon the axis of said ocular syste'min position to receive image rays from said objective andA direct them along said axis of said optical system, a pivot supportingsaid reflector unitl and having its axis coincident with that of said bodymember pivot, a cam face on said reector unit, a lever having a pivot between its ends mounted on said body member at a distance VfromV the axis of said body member pivot so that said lever pivot will be carried about said latterpivotiaxis in the range of movements of said bodyv member, said lever having an end abutting saidv cam face, a stationary erend ,of said lever'is connected so that, as said body member movesY about its pivot in said angular adjustments thereof said latter end of saidV lever will be restrained and said lever willswingwupon its pivot as the latter moves about said body member pivot and the other end of said lever will actuate said reflector unit through its engagement with said cam thereon to reflecting face along said optical system axis in the various angular adjustments of said body member Within its prescribed range of movement.

3. In an optical instrument, an objective, a frame, a body member having a pivot by which it is mounted on said frame so that said body member may swing on said frame Within a prescribed range into different operative angular adjustments to said objective, an optical system on said body member, a movable reector unit having a reflecting face disposed crosswise of and upon the axis of said ocular system in position to receive image rays from said objective and direct them along said axis of said optical system, a pivot supporting said reflector unit and having its axis coincident with that of said body member pivot, a

cam face on said reflector unit, a lever pivotally mounted on said body member and having an arm engaging said cam face, a stationary pin, a second arm on said lever having a slot which .receives said stationary pin, and said lever, when said body is swung about its pivot, being swung about its pivot by such movement by reason of the slotted connection of its second arm with said pin, whereby the other arm of said lever moves along said cam face and progressively changes its relation thereto in such movement, resulting in the shifting of said reflector unit and the movement of its reflecting face through one half the angulary displacement of said body member.

HARVEY N. OTT. 

